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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29203065">The Strength of the Wolf is the Pack</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightwang/pseuds/Nightwang'>Nightwang</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, DCU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Dick Grayson, Alpha Slade Wilson, Alpha/Alpha, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Beta Tim Drake, Biting, Blood and Injury, Canon Temporary Character Death, Claiming, Discussion of Abortion, Forced Orgasm, Forced Pregnancy, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Non-Consensual Voyeurism, Omega Jason Todd, Painful Sex</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:14:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,201</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29203065</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightwang/pseuds/Nightwang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>'“Bruce Wayne is dead, which means that you are legally the Pack Alpha. I’ve come to challenge your claim.”</p><p>Dick barked out a startled laugh. “Challenge my claim? What is this, the 1800s? You must be joking.”</p><p>“It’s perfectly legal,” Slade said with a shrug, unconcerned.'</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dick Grayson/Slade Wilson, Jason Todd/Slade Wilson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>301</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bruce wasn’t dead. Tim was sure of it, as sure as he was of his own name. He couldn’t explain why, exactly, he knew, he just <i>did</i>, and if that wasn’t good enough for the others then Tim would just have to prove it. The Pack had splintered since Bruce had died, leaving the manor one by one. Tim hated to admit it but he missed them.</p><p>Patrol wasn’t quite the same by himself, but Tim had just about gotten used to it. He crouched in the alley, scanning the dirty floor for any clues as to where the thief had run off to. According to the woman it had been twenty minutes already since he’d robbed the store, so Tim wasn’t holding out any hope. He’d already told her to lock up for the night.</p><p>A noise behind him had Tim spinning round, just in time to dodge the sweep of a blade aimed at his chest. Deathstroke smiled and Tim had to drop to the ground not to get decapitated. He rolled back, putting some distance between them, but Slade didn’t follow him. Why was Deathstroke here? Attacking Tim? He wasn’t wearing his mask but his expression didn’t give anything away.</p><p>Slade tilted his head, considering. “Kneel.”</p><p>Tim’s knees wobbled, but they didn’t bend. Bruce had trained all of them to resist alpha command. Slade didn’t look surprised.</p><p>“What are you doing here Deathstroke?” Tim snarled. Whatever it was, he doubted it would be good news.</p><p>“A little birdie told me the big Bat is legally dead.”</p><p>Tim’s chest clenched at the reminder. “So?”</p><p>“So his pack is up for grabs,” Slade said and then lunged towards him.</p><p>The fight was short but brutal, and Tim managed to get a few good hits in before Slade pinned him, one arm twisted behind his back. The weight of him crushed Tim against the ground as he leant over and ripped the industrial strength scent blocker from his throat.</p><p>Slade knew who Tim was, and it had never been any secret that Timothy Drake was a beta, and yet, Tim still felt oddly exposed without the blocker. He snarled, jerking, and Slade growled, low alpha aggression that sent shivers down Tim’s spine. He pulled Tim’s hips up so he was kneeling, his chest still pressed against the floor, his pelvis tight against Tim’s ass.</p><p>It was a classic presenting position, a Submission pose, and fear wormed it’s way into Tim’s gut even as his instincts screamed at him to <i>submit</i>.</p><p>“Get off of me!” He snarled, but Slade ignored him, instead grabbing Tim’s hair to tug his head back painfully, forcing him to bare his throat. He pressed in, and Tim felt the heat of his breath just before he sank his teeth into Tim’s scent gland.</p><p>Pain, white hot and all consuming, sparked like lightning down Tim’s spine. He’d never been bitten before, it wasn’t really done anymore, reserved for traditionalists and abusers. Even then, the bites were mostly for appearances, not many people knew how to do a proper claiming bite.</p><p>Slade seemed to be managing it just fine. Tim’s head was swimming, body going limp as claiming hormones swept through him. He drifted, awareness coming back to him slowly, in stops and starts. Being lifted, strong arms cradling him against a broad chest, the warm interior of a car.</p><p>He blinked, catching Slade’s gaze in the rear view mirror. “Back with me?” Slade asked, amused.</p><p>Tim’s throat felt like it had been torn open, agony spearing through him with every breath. Slade had claimed him. God. Slade had <i>claimed</i> him.</p><p>“Don’t pass out kid,” Slade said. “Or throw up.”</p><p>“Fuck you,” Tim croaked.</p><p>Slade didn’t say anything else but his lip twitched up in a smirk. He was pleased with himself. Tim curled his knees up to his chest, getting his muddy boots all over the soft leather of the seats. His bones ached, his stomach rolling, and he felt oddly hollow, like his insides had been scraped out.</p><p>Eventually Slade brought the car to a stop. Tim couldn’t tell where they were exactly, staring out into the dark of the Gotham night. Slade turned to face him, single eye intent on Tim’s face.</p><p>“Stay Here,” he growled, Alpha Command, and this time Tim found he couldn’t resist. It burnt through his chest, worming its way into his brain. It wasn’t like mind control exactly, but more like an urgent, insistent desire to do what he was told. The sense that something would go terribly, horribly wrong if he disobeyed. Whatever was on his face, Slade seemed satisfied. Still as he shut the door on Tim, he made sure to lock it.</p><p>He wasn’t sure how long Slade was gone, and Tim hated that he could feel the absence like a wound in his chest. The bite <i>throbbed</i>, and the pain only got worse the longer he sat there, shivering even in the warm interior of the car.</p><p>Then the door was opening, and Slade was dumping someone into the seat next to him. The scent of distressed omega filled the car, thick and bitter and strong enough to make Tim gag.</p><p>“Jason?”</p><p>He looked terrible, eyes glazed, head lolling to the side. His lip was split, blood covering his chin and smeared across his neck, a dark bruise just blooming across his jaw. Worst was the ragged, weeping bite mark on his neck.</p><p>Tim pressed close enough that their arms were touching. Jason stank of fear, and Slade, and a strange new pack scent that made Tim’s chest twinge - iron and heat. Underneath, he could still smell Pack, still feel their old bond, the petrichor and winter night smell that always reminded Tim of Bruce and <i>home</i>.</p><p>Jason whimpered, a sound that Tim had never heard him make before, and rolled so that his nose was pressed against Tim’s throat. Fear sparked in Tim’s chest for one brief moment. Having someone’s mouth so close to his neck, especially after he’d just been bitten, was sending his instincts haywire. But this was <i>Jason</i>, this was Pack, and the fact that Jason was distressed enough to seek comfort from Tim’s scent, made his chest ache. He dipped his head to press his nose into Jason’s hair and let the smell of pack and omega soothe his frayed nerves.</p><p>Slade eyed them both in the mirror. Jason had obviously put up a fight, because even with his enhancements, the alpha was bruised and bloody. Satisfaction, and a strange fear twisted up horribly in his stomach. He was <i>pleased</i> that Jason hadn’t come quietly - had hurt the bastard - and yet his instincts were not happy at all that his alpha was injured.</p><p>Gotham blurred past the windows, dark and grim and depressing. Tim was a Gothamite born and raised, and yet sometimes she felt like a stranger, like he would never really know the heart of her. She was cold, distant, apathetic to the suffering in her streets, and now the one person who had really understood her, was dead.</p><p>Jason groaned, and Tim reached up hesitantly to run his fingers through the damp hair on his forehead. Jason wasn’t a particularly affectionate person, but then he was out of it at the moment, lost in the fog of pain and hormones that accompanied the bite. Jason’s scent eased at the touch, the bitter tang softening.</p><p>It took Tim far too long to realise that they’d come to a stop. The manor loomed out of the darkness before them. Slade had driven right up to the front gate. Tim had half expected him to demand the location of the Batcave entrance.</p><p>“Give Me The Code.”</p><p>This Alpha Command shit was getting real old real fast. Jason jerked upright in response, eyes wide, but it was Tim who found himself answering, hissing the numbers out through gritted teeth. His stomach sank as the gates swung open, and Slade pulled the car up to the front door.</p><p>Slade yanked them both out of the car roughly. Jason seemed to have recovered enough that he could walk, and he was blinking slowly, shaking his head as if he could dislodge the fuzziness. A heavy hand settled on the back of Tim’s neck and pushed him forwards. Tim still had a key, hell Jason probably had a key squirrelled away somewhere. It felt like the worst kind of betrayal to open the heavy door and let Slade into their home.</p><p>The manor was eerily quiet. Alfred came and cleaned once a week or so, but he’d covered the furniture in white sheets, and in the dark hallway, it seemed almost abandoned. Tim swallowed heavily against the lump that formed in his throat. Slade led them into the main room and then positioned them facing the door. Pressure against his neck had Tim bowing forwards, his knees buckling.</p><p>“Kneel.”</p><p>It was unnecessary. Slade was already pushing them down and, weak and hazy from the bites, they weren’t exactly resisting. Still, it was all a power play. Slade was enjoying the fact that he <i>could</i> command them.</p><p>Jason hit the floor beside him with a heavy thud. The hand on Tim’s neck stroked up to pet through his hair. “Good boys.”</p><p>Tim shuddered and beside him Jason let out a growl low enough to make the hairs on his arms stand up. Slade’s grip turned painful. Tim couldn’t help the soft noise that escaped him. Jason’s growl cut off abruptly.</p><p>“You two boys are going to <i>behave</i> aren’t you?” Slade purred, as if they had a choice.</p><p>Tim’s throat worked as he swallowed. His mouth felt impossibly dry. “What are we doing here?”</p><p>“You’ll see.”</p><p>It felt like they were knelt there for hours. Tim’s knees were aching, his neck stiff, but he didn’t dare move. Slade stood facing away from them, completely still, a predator waiting to pounce.</p><p>The door crashed open, and then Batman was sweeping into the room, Robin at his side. Tim’s stomach sank, dread curling low in his gut. He couldn’t see where Dick was looking from behind the cowl, but he could see the way his nostrils flared, taking in the disorienting miasma of scents. Damian made a low disgusted noise that for some reason made Tim’s cheeks heat in embarrassment.</p><p>“I see you got my message,” Slade said.</p><p>“Deathstroke,” Dick snarled, and Tim could hear the barely contained rage in his voice. Damian took a threatening step forwards before Dick’s hand fell to his shoulder, gripping tight enough that it must hurt. “What the fuck is this?”</p><p>“They make a rather lovely sight don’t they,” Tim couldn’t see Slade’s face from where he was kneeling, but it sounded like he was smiling.</p><p>“What have you done to them?”</p><p>“Don’t be obtuse Grayson. I’ve claimed them.”</p><p>Tim’s pulse was thundering at his throat, the claiming bite throbbing angrily in response. Slade had claimed them, yes, but he could still feel the pull of Pack drawing him to Dick and Damian. They’d forged their bonds through time and effort, and even the body’s response to a claim wasn’t enough to wipe them out completely. If Dick bit them, his claim would be much stronger than Slade’s.</p><p>Dick’s jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists. “Why?”</p><p>“Bruce Wayne is dead, which means that you are legally the Pack Alpha. I’ve come to challenge your claim.”</p><p>Dick barked out a startled laugh. “Challenge my claim? What is this, the 1800s? You must be joking.”</p><p>“It’s perfectly legal,” Slade said with a shrug, unconcerned.</p><p>“But claiming members of someone else’s pack isn’t!”</p><p>“I never said I’d play fair,” Slade said with a nasty sneer. “I didn’t want them getting <i>involved</i>. This fight is between you and me.”</p><p>“You’re a coward,” Damian said, bristling. Tim had to agree, it was a pretty underhanded tactic, claiming them so that they couldn’t fight back, couldn’t help defend <i>their</i> pack.</p><p>“I’m <i>smart</i> pup.”</p><p>“Why do you even want the claim anyway?” Dick threw his hands up. His voice had taken on an almost hysterical edge. “You don’t care about Pack, Slade, and I don’t think you really want ours.”</p><p>Slade rolled his shoulders in a shrug. “You’re right, I don’t care about your pack. But I <i>do</i> care about money. And Bruce Wayne had rather a lot of it.”</p><p>“That’s what this is about? You’re really claiming my pack so you can get Bruce’s money?”</p><p>“Come on Grayson, I’ve done a lot worse for a lot less.”</p><p>Dick growled, Alpha and furious. “Fine. Let’s do this then.” He’d fallen into a fighting stance, teeth bared in a challenge, but Slade just laughed.</p><p>“Not so fast, pretty bird. Take the suit off, I’m fighting Richard Grayson not Batman.”</p><p>“Are you serious?”</p><p> </p><p>Slade tossed a bundle of clothes at Dick and then peeled out of his own armour so that he was standing in front of them in just trousers and a tank. “Take the scent blocker off too and hurry up, Grayson, I haven’t got all day.”</p><p>Dick looked like he wanted to argue, but as his gaze fell on Tim and Jason, his mouth pressed into a thin line and he reached up to rip the scent blocker off of his neck before stripping the suit off with angry, jerky motions.</p><p>“Come here pup,” Slade purred, curling his fingers at Damian. Tim’s heart skipped a beat, and Dick froze where he was tugging his own pair of sweatpants up over his hips.</p><p>“I don’t think so,” Damian snarled, his nose tilting up imperiously.</p><p>Cold steel kissed the skin of Tim’s throat. “I really don’t need any of you alive,” Slade said quietly.</p><p>Damian took a jerky step forwards, and Dick made an awkward, aborted grab for him. Tim’s stomach sank further the closer Damian got. When he came within reach, Slade’s hand shot out to grab him by the nape of his neck, scruffing him, and dragged him in to sink his teeth into the vulnerable skin of his throat.</p><p>Damian cried out, and Dick hissed out a furious breath. Damian was too young to claim properly, but a bite would still affect him, would work on his instincts to make him pliable and submissive. Damian stumbled as he was released, and Slade steered him back behind Tim and Jason, pushing him down to his knees.</p><p>“Was that necessary?” Dick asked, voice clipped. He’d finished changing, and he looked achingly vulnerable without his armour, his hair mussed from the cowl.</p><p>“The kid’s a menace,” Slade said, shifting his weight and bringing his hands up in a fighting stance. “Now come on, let’s do this.”</p><p>The fight was brutal, and bloody. Dick was fast, and he certainly wasn’t pulling his punches. The stink of furious Alpha was strong enough that Tim’s head was swimming, his heart racing. Dick was good, he knew how to fight bigger, stronger opponents, knew how to use their weight against them, but this was Deathstroke, and in a fight like this - hand to hand - the result was inevitable. A heavy hit caught Dick on the side of his head and he sank awkwardly to one knee, catching himself with a hand against the floor. Slade pressed the advantage immediately, kicking Dick in the shoulder to unbalance him and then following him down. They grappled, but now Dick was at an even bigger disadvantage, and it wasn’t long until Slade managed to pin him, kneeling on his legs, hands holding Dick’s wrists to the floor. Dick was growling and writhing furiously, but his face was streaked with blood, one eye swollen shut.</p><p>“Yield,” Slade snarled. Dick spat at him, baring his teeth in Alpha challenge. “You’ve lost,” Slade said, and Tim hated that he was right.</p><p>“I can still fight,” Dick hissed. Tim wanted to shout at him to give in. He didn’t want to watch Slade hurt him anymore, couldn’t bear the thought that perhaps Slade would just kill him and get it over with.</p><p>“Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Slade said, squeezing Dick’s wrists harshly, “And take it from me, you’re not going to like the hard way.”</p><p>“Fuck you!”</p><p>Slade grinned, sharp and predatory. “Fine, the hard way it is.”</p><p>He pulled back enough to flip Dick over onto his front, manhandling him easily, and tugged his wrists back, twisting his arm behind his back in the same way he’d done to Tim. Then with his other hand, he pulled Dick’s hips up so he was kneeling in the Submission pose. For a moment Tim was confused. Forcing Submission like this wouldn’t work on another alpha, it wouldn’t let Slade force a claim. Then Slade reached for his trousers, and Tim’s brain came to a grating, screeching halt.</p><p>The sound of the zipper coming down was startlingly loud in the sudden quiet of the room. Dick jerked beneath Slade, snarling, and then Jason was staggering to his feet beside Tim, growling low enough to be mistaken for an alpha.</p><p>Slade’s eye was sharp as he took in the furious omega. His lip curled back in a sneer. “Get Down.”</p><p>Jason’s knees buckled. He hit the floor heavily, musking rage and fear and omega distress. Tim whined in response to the sudden rush of scent, his instincts screaming <i>threat, danger, omega</i>, and Dick made a low wounded noise to match.</p><p>“Don’t fucking touch him,” Jason snarled. Slade twisted his fingers into Dick’s hair and tugged his head back so that his bloody face was in view.</p><p>“Bit late for that don’t you think?”</p><p>“You won,” Tim gasped, because this didn’t have to happen, “Just stop.”</p><p>“He hasn’t yielded yet,” Slade said, and then his face twisted up, his gaze sliding up behind Tim and Jason. “Don’t even think about it pup.”</p><p>Tim turned to see Damian, face red, eyes narrowed as he came to an abrupt halt. God, Damian was here. He was going to have to watch as Slade- no Dick just had to yield and then this would all be over.</p><p>“Dick, yield, please it isn’t worth it,” Tim begged, desperate. Dick bared his teeth, but as his eyes met Tim’s he visibly deflated.</p><p>“Fine, get off of me Slade and I’ll yield.”</p><p>Slade laughed, sharp and overly loud. “Oh I don’t think so, pretty bird. You’ve got me all riled up now, and besides, I think it’s time you learnt your lesson.”</p><p>He pushed Dick’s head into the floor, pressing in against his back. He looked huge, crouched over Dick like that, huge and dangerous. He tugged Dick’s sweatpants down over the swell of his ass, and Dick gave a startled gasp.</p><p>“Wait, don’t do this,” Jason’s voice was weirdly high, his head tilted to bare his neck, eyes downcast, all soft omega submission in a way that Jason never was normally. “Alpha please.”</p><p>“That’s real cute, kid,” Slade purred, amused. He was <i>enjoying</i> this, the bastard. “But it’s not going to work on me.”</p><p>Slade reached down to pull his cock out of the open zipper of his trousers. He was hard already, cock huge and red, and Tim couldn’t breathe, couldn’t get any air past the lump in his throat. Beside him Jason made a horrible choking noise and jerked forwards.</p><p>“Stay Still,” Slade growled, sweeping his gaze over the three of them. Tim wasn’t sure he could move anyway, his limbs had gone numb, ice creeping down his spine even as his face flushed with heat. This was really happening. Slade was really going to rape Dick in front of them.</p><p>Slade thrust forwards, forcing his cock in with a grunt and Dick yelped, his teeth baring in agony, eyes squeezing shut. Slade kept going, relentless, growling low in his chest as he crushed Dick beneath him.</p><p>Jason gave a soft, keening wail. Alpha lust spread through the room, hot and oppressive, mixing horribly with the copper scent of blood and fear. For a moment, Tim thought he was going to be sick. Slade released Dick’s arm to grab onto his hips with both hands, pulling him back into the next few deep thrusts. Dick scrabbled against the floor, his breath punched from his lungs in desperate, sawing breaths.</p><p>Groans and the <i>slap slap</i> of skin against skin filled the room, echoing in Tim’s ears. Dick was growling quietly, almost drowned out by Slade’s grunts and moans, as he was jolted across the floor, his chest and cheek scraping along the wood.</p><p>“That’s it,” Slade purred, voice thick with arousal. “Take it like the little bitch you are Grayson.”</p><p>“Fuck- fuck you,” Dick hissed, his breath hitching at a particularly rough thrust. Tim’s cheeks were wet, sticky with tears, and his throat felt like he’d been strangled, tight and hot. Jason was rumbling low in his chest, inching forwards on his knees as though he was going to launch himself at Slade. It wouldn’t work. The Alpha Command was like a blanket over them, pressing Tim down.</p><p>It felt like hours that they were knelt there, watching Slade thrust in to their brother, listening to the animal sounds of sex and pain. Eventually Slade’s thrusts grew erratic, his breathing picking up as he bore down against Dick.</p><p>Dick hissed, his lips peeling back as he was crushed against the ground. Slade thrust forwards, tugging Dick’s hips flush against his pelvis, and then held him there, grinding into him.</p><p>Dick jerked suddenly, a choked growl strangling in his throat. “Slade don’t-“ Dick gasped. “I can’t-“</p><p>Slade grabbed the back of his neck and pinned him down, his hips hitching in an odd grinding motion. Horror swept through Tim’s body like a wildfire. Slade was going to knot him. Slade was going to knot another alpha.</p><p>“Slade,” Tim croaked. “You can’t be serious? You’re going to tear him apart!”</p><p>Alpha’s didn’t usually knot out of a heat or rut, and they certainly weren’t made to take a knot. Slade hadn’t even prepared Dick.</p><p>“He’s a big boy,” Slade said on a groan, voice tight. “He can take it.”</p><p>A low moan and then Dick was howling in agony, writhing beneath Slade. Blood smeared across the wood where Dick’s nails tore as he scrabbled desperately in an attempt to get away.</p><p>Slade wrenched Dick’s head back by his hair, bending over to bury his teeth in his throat. Dick cried out, his mouth falling open as his eyes squeezed shut and he went completely limp beneath Slade.</p><p>Slade gave a pleased rumble and then released him. Dick collapsed, blood slick on his neck, and Slade sat back on his feet, pulling Dick’s hips with him, onto his lap.</p><p>“Good boy,” Slade purred, petting along Dick’s spine. Dick shuddered, his face slack, eyes half open but unfocused.</p><p>Slade pet him the entire time they were locked together, an unbearably smug look on his face. Tim wanted to tear his fucking throat open, wanted to make him regret ever laying a hand on his brother. But he was useless. His own neck throbbed in sympathy, the bitter taste of defeat thick on his tongue.</p><p>After what felt like forever, Slade pulled away. Dick whined, face contorting in pain and Slade shushed him. There was blood on his cock, and smeared across the back of Dick’s thighs, along with Slade’s release. Dick stayed slumped where he was, trembling, distress and pain thick in his scent.</p><p>Slade tucked himself away and stood, turning his gaze on Tim and Jason. “You can come over now.”</p><p>It was like coming up for air after holding your breath. The release of Alpha Command made Tim’s head spin, but he was on his feet almost immediately, and Jason made it to Dick’s side only seconds before Tim did.</p><p>Jason was crooning shakily, his hands trembling where he lay them gently on Dick’s face. Dick flinched, before turning into his touch, his nostrils flaring at Jason’s scent. Tim knelt beside them, his own hands fluttering uselessly above Dick. He didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how to help. Jason turned him gently onto his side, laying his head in his lap, and Tim’s stomach clenched at the blank look on his face.</p><p>“Grayson,” Damian’s voice was tremulous, his eyes wide as he pushed his way between them. Tim had the sudden urge to push Damian away, to make him cover his eyes, even though it was far too late for that.</p><p>“Take him upstairs and get him cleaned up,” Slade said. Jason stiffened at the sound of his voice, bending over Dick as though he could hide him from view. “We’ll get the paperwork sorted out in the morning.”</p><p>Paperwork. Because Slade had claimed Dick. Their pack now belonged to Slade. Tim’s stomach churned queasily, his heart pounding against his ribs.</p><p>Jason adjusted his grip, getting his arms under Dick’s chest so he could heave him up to his feet. Dick slumped in his hold, his head lolling onto Jason’s shoulder.</p><p>“Help me,” Jason hissed. Tim’s knees cracked as he staggered upright to pull one of Dick’s arms over his own shoulders.</p><p>Jason steered them out to the stairs. They had to pass Slade on the way and Tim’s skin crawled, his lips peeling back from his teeth as he glared at the alpha. Slade just smirked at him, smug satisfaction painted across his face as he raked his gaze over them.</p><p>It was a struggle to get Dick up the stairs, he wasn’t exactly light and the height difference between Tim and Jason made carrying him slightly awkward. Dick was dead weight between them, his legs dragging as they hauled him upwards.</p><p>They ducked into the first room they found, lowering Dick down onto the bed as gently as they could. He whimpered as he hit the sheets, curling into a foetal position, and Tim’s chest clenched at sight, it was so unlike Dick.</p><p>Jason stripped out of his uniform, until he was dressed only in his trousers and undershirt. Then he crawled onto the bed beside Dick and lay down, adjusting them both so that Jason was on his back, Dick curled into his side. He brought a hand up to press Dick’s face close to his neck, his chest rumbling with soft croons. Dick seemed to relax at the combination of a familiar scent and the comforting sounds. Tim hovered awkwardly at the side of the bed, Damian at his elbow, and Jason shot them both a look, before his face softened.</p><p>“Tim, go get a wet cloth so we can clean him up a bit.”</p><p>Tim nodded jerkily, shamefully glad that Jason was taking the lead, and went to the closest bathroom, grabbing a washcloth and filling a bowl with warm water. By the time he got back, Damian had also changed out of his uniform, and had climbed up on the other side of Dick. His knees were drawn up to his chest, his mouth pinched and his eyes wide and wet as he stared at Dick. He looked disturbingly young, and small, and <i>scared</i>, huddled on the bed, blood drying down his throat and chest from where Slade had bitten him.</p><p>Tim sat on the edge of the bed beside Jason, dipping the washcloth into the water and then holding it out hesitantly. The water dripped down his arm and splashed onto Dick’s bare skin, making him twitch. His fingers clenched where he was gripping onto Jason’s shirt and Jason reached out to take the cloth from Tim, bringing it down to wipe gently at the blood on Dick’s face.</p><p>Tim took the opportunity to change out of his own uniform. He felt naked without it, vulnerable. But then he’d been useless as Red Robin, he hadn’t been able to stop Slade from biting him, and he certainly hadn’t protected his pack.</p><p>Turning back to the bed, he was met with Dick’s hazy gaze. He was blinking slowly, his face twisting up as Jason dabbed carefully at the bite mark on his throat. It looked awful, like Slade had ripped half of his throat out, and it was still bleeding. Tim’s own bite mark was <i>burning</i>. The dried blood on his neck felt tacky and itchy, a constant reminder that Slade owned them now.</p><p>“Tim,” Jason said softly. He was holding the cloth out towards him. “Clean yourself up.”</p><p>He’d wiped his own neck - and Damian’s - and they looked much less macabre now. Tim dipped the cloth in the bowl, which was now a faint pinkish colour, and gave his own neck a cursory wipe. The warm water stung, and dripped down to soak into his shirt uncomfortably.</p><p>“Can you-“ Jason swallowed, grimacing. “Can you clean up the rest of him? I'd do it but-“ he gestured to where Dick was still clinging to him. Tim’s stomach churned. It was alright, he could do this. All he had to do was clean up the worst of it, and then in the morning they could get Dick into the shower.</p><p>Jason shuffled Dick around so that he was draped over him more, meaning Tim could reach both of his legs. He tried to go about it with a sort of detached, businesslike method, but it was hard when Dick was twitching and whimpering, and all Tim could think was that this was <i>Dick</i>, someone he looked up to, someone he cared about.</p><p>He did his legs first, working his way up. When he reached the inside of his thighs Dick jerked, struggling against Jason’s hold for a moment. Jason shushed him, petting through his hair softly. Tim tried to be quick, wiping up over his ass and then briefly between his cheeks. The cloth came away bright with fresh blood. Tim wasn’t surprised, Slade had probably torn him badly when he knotted him.</p><p>“He needs to go to the hospital,” Tim said quietly. Dick was still bleeding, he probably needed stitches. If Tim was being honest, they should <i>all</i> get checked out. Slade hadn’t been careful with his teeth, and besides, the human mouth wasn’t exactly known for being sterile.</p><p>“Jay?” Dick murmured suddenly. He pushed himself up a little, so that he wasn’t pressed against Jason’s neck, blinking owlishly at them all.</p><p>“Hey Dickie, you with us?”</p><p>“Just about,” Dick groaned, sinking back to lean against Jason. Then he jerked upright suddenly, wincing. “Is everyone okay?”</p><p>“Tt, worry about yourself Grayson,” Damian huffed. Dick reached out for him, and Damian let him pull him down, tucking his face into Dick’s chest.</p><p>“We’re fine,” Tim said, leaning forwards to lay a blanket over Dick’s lap. The words tasted like ash in his mouth. Tim had never been less fine in his life.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Dick whispered.</p><p>“What are you talking about?” Jason hissed. Dick winced at the fury in his voice, his scent souring, and Jason immediately looked guilty.</p><p>“I lost. I failed. I let Slade claim me, and now-“ he trailed off, squeezing Damian tighter.</p><p>“In case you didn’t notice dickhead, we <i>all</i> got bitten. This wasn’t your fault.”</p><p>They lapsed into silence, thick and heavy. Their pack was really owned by Slade now, legally. He could do anything he wanted with them, had already forced himself on Dick. He’d said he was only after Bruce’s money, but would that stop him from taking advantage of any other...opportunities.</p><p>Tim swallowed heavily. Slade had always had a weird interest in Dick, and he obviously wasn’t opposed to taking the other alpha against his will. Was it a one time thing? Was it just to force the Submission? Or would he rape Dick whenever he felt like it.</p><p>He looked at Jason then. The omega was scowling, his face bruised, the bite on his throat a dark slash against his tan skin. Slade had never shown any interest in Jason before, or even omegas, as far as Tim knew, but the thought of Slade being Pack Alpha when Jason went into heat, sent cold shivers down Tim’s spine.</p><p>“We’ll be alright,” Dick said softly. He’d sagged back against Jason, as though he was too exhausted to keep himself upright, but he hadn’t let Damian go. The pup looked disgruntled where he was held against Dick’s chest, but he also hadn’t pulled away. “As long as we’re together, then we’ll get through this.”</p><p>Tim wished he could share his optimism. Jason scoffed, but didn’t say anything, and Dick turned his head to press his nose against Jason’s shoulder. For a moment Tim felt weirdly left out, and then Jason was grabbing hold of his wrist, tugging him into the pile, so he was half sprawled over Jason’s lap, his cheek pressed against the soft material of Jason’s shirt.</p><p>Heat warmed his face, the soft thump thump of Jason’s heart loud in his ear. His new position meant that he was much closer to Dick’s face. Bruises were blooming across his skin, rust coloured smudges still visible where Jason hadn’t quite managed to wipe away all the blood. His non-swollen eye was open, and fixed on Tim.</p><p>He gave a soft smile when he noticed Tim watching him, bringing one of his hands up to brush Tim’s hair out of his eyes. The smell of Pack was like a warm blanket, cozy but not restrictive. The weird new iron and heat smell left a sour taste on Tim’s tongue, but even that couldn’t dampen the instinctive <i>safe, happy</i> feeling he got from being surrounded by his pack.</p><p>“Get some sleep,” Jason rumbled, and Tim could feel the vibrations of his voice where he was pressed against him. “We can talk about this more tomorrow.”</p><p>Dick seemed halfway to sleep already, his face softening further as Jason started crooning again, like a parent trying to soothe a pup to sleep after a nightmare.</p><p>They resonated through Tim’s chest and, despite himself, he felt sleep pull him under.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks everyone for your comments, they all inspired me to write more :)</p><p>More spoilery warnings in the end notes!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The weeks after Slade had claimed their pack were weirdly anticlimactic. For the most part Slade had left them all alone, he hadn’t touched Dick again, he’d let them carry on as normal. He’d even let them keep patrolling. His only stipulation had been that they all had to stay at the manor.</p><p>They’d taken to all sleeping in Bruce’s room, piled into a makeshift nest on his big bed. It made Dick feel...safe, surrounded by Pack, knowing that he could protect them. Not that he’d done a very good job of it so far. Slade had let Alfred return to the manor, but he hadn’t bitten him. Dick wasn’t quite sure why. Maybe to reinforce the idea that Alfred was a butler, not a member of the pack, maybe because Slade didn’t see him as a threat, maybe because he genuinely didn’t care. Either way, Dick was absurdly grateful. Alfred still smelled like Pack, <i>Bruce’s</i> Pack, not Slade’s iron and heat smell. It reminded Dick of home.</p><p>Three weeks in, Jason went into heat. They’d been expecting it - Jason was pretty regular - but Dick didn’t feel any more prepared. They’d sent Damian out with Alfred to do some shopping. It was a pretty flimsy excuse, and Damian had seen right through it, but he hadn’t argued. Dick had been so relieved he could have cried.</p><p>Maybe Slade would leave them alone? Dick didn’t remember him ever being interested in an omega before, maybe he wouldn’t be interested in Jason.</p><p>“Stop pacing!” Jason snapped, irritable. He was curled up in the nest, flushed and sweating, his head resting in Tim’s lap. It was weird seeing him like this, he was usually so private with his heats, preferring to ride them out alone.</p><p>“Sorry Jay,” Dick said quietly, forcing himself into stillness. The sweet, soft scent of omega heat was thick in the room, making Dick antsy. It didn’t affect him the way it would someone who wasn’t <i>family</i>, but it was still driving Dick’s instincts crazy, demanding he protect a vulnerable member of the pack. Not that Jason had ever needed protecting before.</p><p>The front door shutting had all of them freezing. Dick met Tim’s wide eyed stare, panic swelling nauseatingly in his chest. For a wild moment Dick had the urge to just grab Jason and run, but it was fleeting. If Slade wanted to find them, it wouldn’t be hard. The bites on their throats made sure of that.</p><p>Jason huffed, squirming, and Tim stroked a hand over his forehead absentmindedly. Dick held his breath, listening carefully for any indication of what was going to happen next. Footsteps, the creak of the stairs being climbed. Dick’s heart was racing, his pulse thundering in his ears, as they stopped outside. Dick tensed, positioning himself in front of Tim and Jason just as the door opened and Slade stepped inside.</p><p>“Well, well, what do we have here then?” Slade said, amusement clear in his tone. He took a deep, testing breath, a sharp grin spreading across his face. Dick bristled, shifting so that Slade’s view of the bed was obscured, his hands curling into fists. Slade didn’t look impressed.</p><p>“It’s nothing,” Dick said, as though Slade wouldn’t be able to smell exactly what was going on.</p><p>“The bitch is in heat,” Slade said, stepping closer.</p><p>“Slade please-”</p><p>Slade’s hand shot out, grabbing Dick by the throat roughly. Behind him Tim shouted something, but Dick couldn’t hear what over the sudden rush of blood to his ears, his focus narrowing to the press of Slade’s fingers. His chest burned.</p><p>“Even with my bite on your throat, you’re a disobedient little cunt, aren’t you Grayson?”</p><p>Dick blinked, his mouth opening and closing uselessly. Slade released his grip, but didn’t move his hand away, instead pressing his thumb over his bite mark as Dick dragged in desperate gasping breaths.</p><p>“Get Out,” Slade hissed, his gaze going up over Dick’s shoulder. It wasn’t aimed at Dick, but he felt his knees tremble anyway, his stomach rolling. Tim staggered off the bed, face pale, eyes like saucers. He swallowed heavily, looking like he wanted to say something, but his feet carried him past Slade and out into the hallway. Slade kicked the door shut behind him. Dick didn’t know whether to be grateful that at least one of his brothers was out of harm's way, or worried about what it meant for him and Jason.</p><p>Slade walked him backwards until his legs hit the bed, then pushed him down onto it, his head and shoulders falling into Jason’s little nest. “You’re a pain in my ass, you know that?” Slade said, climbing up onto the bed next to them, his gaze falling on Jason.</p><p>Dick scrambled up onto his knees, panic roaring to life in his chest. Jason was panting lightly, scowling furiously at Slade. He was flushed, sweat beading across his forehead, eyes slightly glassy as he peeled his lips back in a snarl, his heat scent thick with fury. Slade reached for him wordlessly, one huge hand wrapping around Jason’s ankle.</p><p>“Wait Slade-” Dick gasped. “Don’t. Leave him alone, just- you can- you can fuck me instead alright?”</p><p>“Shut up Dick!” Jason hissed.</p><p>“Yes, shut up Grayson. If I want to fuck you, I’ll fuck you, if I want to fuck <i>him</i>-” he tugged Jason towards him, ignoring the furious rumbling growls that Jason was making.</p><p>Desperation clawed at Dick’s chest. He couldn’t let this happen, he couldn’t just sit back and let Slade rape his brother. He lunged forwards with a snarl, colliding with Slade, knocking him away from Jason. His teeth closed around a mouthful of flesh, blood spilling across his tongue, then pain exploded across his cheek, forcing him to let go. He got a glimpse of Slade’s furious expression, before the other alpha was twisting beneath him, arms wrapping around Dick’s chest as Slade flipped them so Dick’s face was pressed into the sheets.</p><p>“You little shit,” Slade hissed, voice tight with fury. He crushed Dick against the bed, one hand against his head, the other gripping his hip. Dick couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Slade’s weight was horribly familiar, as was the hot press of the man’s erection against his ass. This was what he’d wanted, Slade focused on him rather than Jason, but now that Slade was on top of him, he wasn’t sure he could take it. Slade had almost ripped him apart the first time.</p><p>“Get off of him!” Jason roared. Slade’s weight lifted off of Dick, a hand twisting into his hair to pull him roughly to his knees. Jason was glaring at Slade like he could set him on fire with the power of his rage, pinned to the bed with a huge hand across his chest. Slade growled, loud, and the sound of it rumbled through Dick’s chest and made Jason gasp.</p><p>“You two are going to fucking behave,” Slade hissed through gritted teeth, “or I’m going to wring the little beta’s neck and fuck you over his corpse.”</p><p>Dick froze, the words sliding down his spine like ice. Slade manhandled him so that he was knelt by Jason’s head. “Stay There.” The Alpha Command settled like a rock in Dick’s stomach. Slade gripped his hair tighter and shook him a little, like he was an unruly puppy. Then he let him go, turning his attention to Jason. </p><p>His heat was well underway by now, and Jason was obviously feeling the effects. He was squirming against the sheets, one hand gripping the fabric of his pants over his hip, knuckles white, and he was flushed all the way down his neck and chest.</p><p>Slade grabbed his ankles and wrenched his legs apart, settling between them, and Jason whined, baring his teeth. Slade ignored him, tugging his shirt off over his head, and Dick was struck by a strong waft of alpha lust, his stomach rolling as he exhaled sharply. Jason moaned in response, his hips hitching, and Slade chuckled, running his palm up Jason’s thigh.</p><p>“That’s it,” he purred. “Just let me take care of you.”</p><p>“Fuck you, you old perv,’ Jason snarled. Dick’s heart skipped a beat, but Slade didn’t react to it other than to start wrestling Jason out of his clothes. By the time Jason was naked, his whole body flushed, chest heaving, Dick was a little worried that he was going to throw up all over the bed. His eyes stung, stomach churning at the almost suffocating mixture of scents.</p><p>Slade grabbed Jason’s hips, hiking them up, so he could press in against him. His thighs were shiny with slick, cock hard and weeping against his stomach, and he moaned softly when Slade ground his still clothed cock against his cunt. Slade chuckled, and Jason’s face did a complicated twist of emotions, before he squeezed his eyes shut, turning his head into the sheets.</p><p>Slade reached down to free himself from his trousers. This was the first time Dick was actually seeing Slade’s cock and it looked as large as it had felt, tearing into him. He swallowed heavily, and then, before he could second guess himself, reached out and grabbed Jason’s hand.</p><p>Jason turned to look at him, surprise softening his expression and twisted his fingers to grip Dick’s hand back. Dick could see his own fear reflected back at him on Jason’s face. It kind of made him want to cry.</p><p>Slade thrust forwards, sheathing himself inside Jason in one brutal thrust, and Jason’s eyes slammed shut, his mouth falling open as his back arched. Dick tightened his grip, curling over Jason with a sob. He’d failed. He hadn’t been able to protect his pack, and now Jason was paying the price.</p><p>“Good,” Slade groaned, rocking his hips. Jason jerked, trembling, and then gave a heated moan, grinding down against Slade.</p><p>“Alpha,” Jason whined, then bit down on his lip hard enough to make it bleed.</p><p>“Good omega,” Slade purred, starting to thrust in earnest. He looked immensely pleased with himself. Dick had never wanted to kill anyone more than in that moment.</p><p>Jason’s eyes fluttered open. His pupils were blown wide, as he stared up at Dick, lust and fear thick in his scent.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Dick whispered. A tear dripped off his chin and splashed onto Jason’s cheek, making him blink. Jason frowned, his mouth opening as if he was going to say something, but then Slade was leaning back, flipping Jason over onto his front. Jason moaned, arching his back as Slade pulled his hips up into position, setting a fast pace.</p><p>Dick felt a little light-headed, watching Slade take Jason the same way he’d taken him, except Jason was grinding back against Slade, moaning low in his throat, flushed with heat. It made something twist painfully in Dick’s chest because God, there was something so fucking evil about Jason’s heat making him take <i>pleasure</i> in his violation.</p><p>Slade’s thrusts grew erratic, his fingers tightening on Jason’s hips to the point Dick was sure it would bruise, and then he was stuttering to a stop, letting out a low groan that had Dick’s skin crawling. Jason moaned sharply as Slade ground into him, crying out as he shuddered through an orgasm, coming all over the sheets.</p><p>For a moment, everything was still. Then Jason collapsed forwards with a muffled groan. Slade turned them on their side, trapping Jason against him with an arm around his chest. Jason looked out of it, eyes half lidded, mouth slack, trembling slightly as Slade stroked over his hip.</p><p>“I forgot how much fun heats are,” Slade purred, pressing his nose into Jason’s hair.</p><p>“I hate you,” Dick croaked, voice thick.</p><p>“I don’t care.”</p><p>Dick was shaking, chest tight as Slade soothed Jason into sleep. Most omegas slept between peaks, conserving energy and giving the alpha a chance to recover as well. Like this, his face soft and unguarded, Jason looked achingly young.</p><p>Eventually, Slade pulled away, standing up to stretch out his back. When he turned back to the bed, Dick was horrified to see that he was still hard, his cock straining up towards his stomach, glistening with slick.</p><p>“You can’t be serious?” Dick blurted out. Slade shrugged, a grin tugging at his lips.</p><p>“It’s the enhancements,” Slade said. “I don’t think it was one of the intended consequences but,” another shrug, “no refractory period.”</p><p>Dick stared at him for a moment, then let his gaze fall to Jason. He’d be asleep for at least another half an hour. Slade couldn’t possibly want to fuck him again so soon. But it seemed like that’s what Slade was going to do, crawling back onto the bed with a smirk, lust rolling off of him in waves.</p><p>“You can’t-” Dick said, breathless with fear, if Slade didn’t let Jason rest, if he just kept fucking him, he was going to kill him. Slade laughed, sharp and horrible and reached out to grab Dick by the hair, tugging his head back to bare his throat.</p><p>“Don’t worry, pretty bird, I’m not going to fuck him whilst he’s sleeping.” A heavy pause. Dick swallowed thickly, his neck starting to ache at the strain. “That’s what I’ve got you for.”</p><p>Slade pushed him down, crawling over him. His cock dragged wetly across Dick’s hip, smearing Jason’s slick onto his skin, and Dick took a shaky breath. He could do this. For Jason. He’d survived it once, and he could survive it again.</p><p>Slade chuckled in his ear, breath hot against his face. His hands gripped Dick’s hips, his lips skating across his neck.</p><p>Dick shut his eyes.</p><p>*</p><p>“Dick?” Everything hurt. His ass was burning, pain lancing up his spine as he shifted with a groan. “Dickie, come on.”</p><p>Was that- “Tim?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Dick cracked his eyes open. Tim’s face filled his vision, pale and drawn, eyes wide and wet. A hand touched his face gently.</p><p>“Wha-” He sat up abruptly, stifling a cry as his body protested the movement. “Jason?”</p><p>God, Jason. He’d been in heat, he’d been- Slade had- Slade had raped him. Dick had failed utterly to protect him.</p><p>“He’s here,” Tim said. “He’s...not hurt.”</p><p>Dick twisted, scanning the bed. God, there was blood on the sheets. A startling amount. Jason couldn’t possibly be okay. He couldn’t stop a whine from slipping out.</p><p>“He <i>is</i> hurt Tim, he’s bleeding, I’ve got to-”</p><p>“It’s not mine, you idiot.” Jason. Dick could have cried as he turned towards the voice, drinking in the sight of his brother, whole and not bleeding out. He looked pretty terrible, still naked, face a shocking grey colour. He was staring down at his own lap, avoiding Dick’s gaze. Alfred was standing behind him, a hand resting gently on his shoulder, his own eyes slightly damp.</p><p>“Jay are you-” he cut himself off. Of course Jason wasn’t okay. He’d just been raped, in heat, on his dead father’s bed. Dick thought he was going to be sick.</p><p>Jason scratched almost absentmindedly at a flaky smear of blood on his thigh. Dick jerked forwards with a gasp. “You <i>are</i> bleeding.”</p><p>Jason’s head snapped up, gaze furious. “For God’s sake Dick, it’s <i>your</i> blood! It’s on me because after Slade tore you open on his knot, he didn’t bother cleaning himself up before sticking his dick in me!”</p><p>Dick choked, the words ringing through his skull. Beside him, Tim gasped and Alfred raised a trembling hand to cover his mouth. Jason’s face twisted up, and then he visibly deflated, bowing forwards to drop his head into his hands.</p><p>“I’m sorry Jason,” Dick croaked.</p><p>“Shut up! Just stop apologising. None of this was your fault.”</p><p>Tim touched Dick’s shoulder, his face pinched. “We need to get you cleaned up Dick, you’re bleeding a lot.”</p><p>Which meant more stitches. It had been embarrassing enough the first time. Slade hadn’t let them go to the hospital, and so Alfred had had to stitch him up. Dick hadn’t been able to look him in the eye for days afterwards.</p><p>“I’m going to grab a shower,” Jason muttered, climbing off of the bed.</p><p>“Master Jason wait,” Alfred stopped him gently, then hesitated, mouth pinching. He looked old and tired. Haggard. “Before he left, Master Slade,” his mouth twisted at the words, “asked me to dispose of all the...the birth control.”</p><p>Jason blanched, his eyes going wide. Dick’s chest clenched painfully. No, Slade surely couldn’t want… couldn’t want that? Jason pregnant? With his <i>rapist’s</i> child? Dick had to swallow hard against the sudden rise of bile.</p><p>Jason staggered, like he’d taken a physical blow and then almost ran from the room. Alfred brought a hand up over his eyes, his shoulders slumping for a moment before he seemed to pull himself together.</p><p>“Alright Master Dick, let’s get you cleaned up shall we.”</p><p>By the time they were done, Dick was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. It was embarrassing and painful. Half way through Tim had started crying and hadn’t stopped. The sound of him quietly weeping tore at Dick’s chest. He’d let them all down. He couldn’t protect his family. He was a failure of a big brother and a failure of an alpha.</p><p>Alfred and Tim had to help him out of Bruce’s room and into his own. Tim hastily bundled the blankets into a makeshift nest and lowered Dick into it, before climbing in after him. Alfred reached over to gently push the hair back from Dick’s eyes. It brought his scent into the nest, <i>safe, Pack</i>, and most importantly, nothing like Slade.</p><p>“Get some rest, I’ll go and fetch Master Damian.”</p><p>Then he was gone and it was just Tim and Dick in the quiet of the room. Tim sniffled, squirming closer to tuck his head under Dick’s chin. Dick wrapped his arms around him.</p><p>“It’s going to be okay,” Tim whispered. “Bruce is alive, I know it. He’ll come back.”</p><p>Dick squeezed his eyes shut, his arms tightening, because Bruce was <i>dead</i>, because his pack was Dick’s responsibility and he’d let him down. Even if Bruce, by some miracle, was alive, Dick wasn’t sure he could face him.</p><p>The door opened softly, then Damian was climbing up into the nest, wriggling his way between Tim and Dick. It must have been late because he was wearing pyjamas. Dick wasn’t sure how long Jason’s heat had lasted, but it must have been at least 48 hours. 48 hours of pain and fear, of watching his little brother get raped, of seeing Jason’s horrified face as Slade crushed Dick against the bed and forced his way inside.</p><p>“Grayson?” Damian said, hesitant in a way he wasn’t normally. Tim had sat up a little, his eyes wide as he scented the air not-so-subtly. Damn, Dick needed to get a hold of himself. He didn’t want to give them any more reasons to worry about him.</p><p>“I’m fine,” he croaked.</p><p>“Bullshit,” Jason’s voice startled him. He stood in the doorway, hair still damp, wearing an oversized hoodie that covered his hands. His skin was flushed pink, as though he’d been scrubbing himself raw. Dick was intimately familiar with the feeling.</p><p>“Jay,” he started. Jason stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him and reaching up to turn off the light.</p><p>“Shut up dickhead,” he murmured, dropping into the nest on the other side of Tim. “Everyone just go the fuck to sleep.”</p><p>There was so much that Dick wanted to say to Jason, that he <i>should</i> say, but he found the words stuck in his throat, so instead he just curled up around Damian, reaching a tentative hand across Tim. Jason huffed, but he twined their fingers together, resting their joined hands over Tim’s ribs.</p><p>Despite everything, Dick found himself dragged into sleep.</p><p>*</p><p>The sound of the door opening had Dick instantly awake. Beside him, the others had come awake too, their breathing steady and quiet. Light spilled into the room around a large silhouette. Slade.</p><p>“Richard,” Slade said quietly. An order. Dick sat up and Damian reached out to grab onto the back of his shirt, as though he could keep Dick there through sheer force of will. “Now.”</p><p>Dick met Jason’s eyes in the soft light. He hoped he didn’t look as scared as he felt. Jason blinked at him, eyes wide, then carefully reached over Tim to disentangle Damian from his shirt. Dick climbed out of the nest awkwardly, pain shooting up his spine with every step. Slade watched him impassively from the doorway, not offering any help when Dick came within reach, something Dick was stupidly grateful for.</p><p>Slade turned and led the way down the hall to where, presumably, he was staying. One of the guest bedrooms. Dick didn’t know if Slade had chosen it on purpose, but he was glad that Slade wasn’t sleeping in one of their rooms. He’d already tainted Bruce’s.</p><p>“What do you want?” Dick asked as Slade shut the door behind them, going to sit on the edge of his bed. Slade smiled, as if this was all so very amusing, and beckoned Dick closer until he was stood between his spread thighs, uncomfortably close.</p><p>“Kneel.”</p><p>Dick grit his teeth hard, wincing as he folded to his knees. Slade reached out and caught his chin in his fingers, pushing his head back until the vulnerable line of his throat was exposed.</p><p>“I’ve been having a rather good week,” Slade said, amused. “I thought maybe I should celebrate.” Dick’s lips peeled back from his teeth, furious. He wasn’t sure what Slade was getting at exactly, but he hoped he wasn’t about to fuck him again. Alfred had only just stitched him up.</p><p>“What do you need me for? I haven’t got anything to celebrate.”</p><p>“No,” Slade mused. “I don’t suppose you do.” He reached down with his other hand to pull himself out of his trousers. Dick snarled, jerking his head away as he was suddenly intimately acquainted with Slade’s cock.</p><p>“You’re a sick fucking bastard,” Dick hissed, glaring up at him. Slade just laughed, sliding his hand round to the back of Dick’s head and pressing him down so that he was mashed against Slade’s groin.</p><p>“You lost Grayson. I <i>own</i> you, and your little packmates. I’m just taking what I deserve.”</p><p>The scent of him was unbearably strong where Dick’s nose was pressed. Slade fisted his hair, and tugged him back. “Open your mouth.”</p><p>Dick let his mouth fall open reluctantly. This was better than the alternative, he supposed, better than the crushing weight of Slade above him, better than it being Jason here instead. Slade pushed his cock into his mouth with a tight groan, immediately shoving Dick’s head down. Dick gagged, choking, his hands coming up to push against Slade’s thighs.</p><p>“You know,” Slade said, as if he wasn’t choking Dick on his cock, as if they were just having a casual conversation over lunch. “I realised some things the past few days. I was originally only in it for the money,” a deep thrust. Sweat broke out on the nape of Dick’s neck, “But putting you in your place?” Another deep thrust, a moan. Dick’s eyes started to water. “I should have been using you all the time. And that omega bitch.”</p><p>Dick suppressed the urge to bite down, hard. Panic was rising in his chest like a tsunami. It had been...bearable when it was just for Jason’s heat, when there was an end in sight. But what Slade was talking about? He shuddered.</p><p>Slade groaned, low in his throat, and picked up the pace. Dick couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think past the sudden panic. He felt wildly out of control, like he was drowning, like struggling to reach the surface when you didn’t know which way was up. He couldn’t die like this - the famous Nightwing, choked to death on a cock.</p><p>Slade shoved down hard on his head as he thrust up with enough force to split Dick’s lip, moaning loudly. Salty warmth spilled over the back of Dick’s tongue, and he spluttered, swallowing so he didn’t choke. Then the suffocating press of his cock was gone, and Dick gasped, flinching as Slade finished across his face, streaking his cheek, his nose, and just barely missing his eye.</p><p>Slade sat back, panting heavily. Dick stayed where he was for a long moment, trembling, gasping in desperate lungfuls of air. He reached up to wipe his face, but Slade stopped him, gripping his wrist painfully tight.</p><p>“You look good like this Grayson,” Slade purred. He forced Dick’s hands down, gripping his chin instead. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to come to my room every night and get on your knees for me, until you’ve recovered enough for me to fuck you, after which you’re going to bend over like a good little alpha.”</p><p>Dick’s head was swimming, nausea pressing insistently at the base of his throat. Every night. God, he had to do this every night? He couldn’t- there was no way.</p><p>“And if the omega isn’t pregnant already, I’m going to fuck him through his heats until he gives me a pup.”</p><p>Dick managed to twist to the side in time to throw up on the floor rather than on Slade. His stomach cramped painfully, the sting of the bile exacerbated by his sore throat. Slade made a disgusted noise and stood up, grabbing Dick by the arm and hauling him to his feet. Dick cried out, pain sparking up his spine, but Slade ignored him, marching him out into the hall and back towards his room.</p><p>“Wait,” Dick gasped. He couldn’t let the others see him like this. He was a mess. Disgusting.</p><p>“Get a grip Grayson,” Slade said, as if Dick was being unreasonable. “Throw up again and you won’t be able to sit for a week.”</p><p>Dick gaped at him, blinking stupidly. It wasn’t like he’d done it on purpose. Slade pushed the door open and shoved Dick inside, slamming it shut behind him. Dick stumbled, off balance and fell awkwardly onto his knees, gritting his teeth against any pained noises.</p><p>“Dick?” Tim’s voice wobbled. Dick looked up to see his brothers all staring at him with wide eyes. He was suddenly very aware of the fact that Slade hadn’t let him wipe his face.</p><p>“I’m fine,” Dick said, ducking his head and trying to surreptitiously clean off Slade’s release.</p><p>“Dickie,” Jason. Too close. A hand touched his arm gently, and Dick startled back, looking up to see Jason crouched in front of him. He was holding out a shirt towards him. Dick snatched it gratefully, scrubbing frantically at his face.</p><p>“It’s okay,” Jason murmured softly. “It’s okay, just take a breath Dick.”</p><p>For some reason, that’s what pushed him over the edge. He started crying, ugly messy sobs, curling over to press his forehead against Jason’s shoulder. The grief was overwhelming, grief for Bruce, for what Dick had given up, for his broken little pack, for Jason, for all the <i>shit</i> they’d been through. Jason brought a hand up to cup the back of his neck, pressing Dick closer, and wrapped him up in his arms.</p><p>Dick shouldn’t be falling apart like this, especially not in front of his brothers, but he couldn’t help it, it was all just...too much. Not for the first time, Dick desperately wished that Bruce was here, that Bruce had never died in the first place, because then none of this would have happened.</p><p>“It’s okay, Dick.”</p><p>Except it wasn’t okay. This was their fucking lives now, and there was <i>nothing</i> they could do about it.</p><p>*</p><p>Jason got surlier the closer it came to his heat. Dick couldn’t blame him. The idea that Jason could be pregnant was horrifying, and even if he wasn’t, Slade had made his intentions quite clear. He hadn’t touched Jason outside of his heat, but once was more than enough.</p><p>Slade had kept to his word, forcing Dick to go to his room every night. It wasn’t as painful as the first few times. Slade hadn’t knotted him again, hadn’t torn him. Dick almost wished he would. The rougher he was the less… intimate it felt.</p><p>“He should have started his heat by now.” Dick startled at Tim’s voice, appearing over his shoulder. Tim was watching Jason push his soggy cereal around his bowl, worry creasing his brow.</p><p>“Maybe his cycle is off? Stress can do that right?” Even as he said it, Dick knew it was wishful thinking. Jason’s cycles were as regular as clockwork.</p><p>“I know you’re talking about me,” Jason snapped, glaring balefully at them over his bowl.</p><p>“Sorry Jay I-” Dick’s mouth clicked shut audibly as Slade strode into the kitchen, his sharp gaze taking them all in. He set a box down on the counter in front of Jason, who picked it up gingerly, holding it away from himself like it might suddenly explode.</p><p>“You’re late,” Slade said. “Take the test.”</p><p>Jason looked a little sick, cheeks flushing red, even as the rest of the colour drained from his face. He didn’t say anything as he stood, making his way unsteadily towards the nearest bathroom. Slade leaned back against the countertop casually. He must have been training right before this, because he was sweaty, his alpha scent almost unbearably strong. Dick felt like he might choke on it.</p><p>Jason was in the bathroom for long enough that Dick was starting to get worried. When he emerged, his eyes were red and his hands were shaking.</p><p>“Well?” Slade asked. Dick held his breath, his stomach churning.</p><p>“I couldn’t look at it,” Jason admitted quietly. Slade rolled his eye, pushing off of the counter to grab the little stick from Jason’s hand. Dick almost launched himself off the chair when Jason flinched at the sudden proximity.</p><p>“Congratulations,” Slade said, tone unbearably smug. “We’re having a baby.”</p><p>Despair hollowed out Dick’s chest. No, no that couldn’t be right. It wasn’t fair. Jason shouldn’t have to carry the child of the monster that raped him. His little brother, he was barely twenty, he wasn’t old enough for a <i>child</i>.</p><p>Jason made an odd choking whine and spun on his heel, staggering out of the kitchen. Beside Dick, Tim was crying quietly. Slade clapped his hands together.</p><p>“Well, I think I’ll tell Pennyworth to prepare something special for tonight’s dinner. Something like this should be <i>celebrated</i> after all, don’t you think?”</p><p>Dick stood from his chair abruptly. He had to go after Jason, had to make sure he was alright. Slade didn’t stop him as he left, Tim following behind him. It wasn’t hard to find Jason, his scent was thick in the air, fear and distress strong enough to make Dick’s head swim. He was tucked into a crevasse under the stairs, his knees pressed into his chest, face hidden.</p><p>“Jay,” Dick said helplessly, crouching down so he was at the same level, Tim hovering awkwardly behind him.</p><p>“Fuck off Dick.”</p><p>“I’m sorry Jay,” Dick tried. Jason whirled on him then, expression furious.</p><p>“I don’t want your fucking pity! I’m pregnant, so what? At least I’m not getting fucking <i>raped</i> every night!”</p><p>Dick fell back on his ass, gaping, as Jason glared at him, simmering with barely concealed rage. There was silence for a long moment, before Jason’s expression crumpled, guilt splashing across his features.</p><p>“I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry Dick.”</p><p>“It’s okay, I get it,” Dick said. He was horrified to see the glisten of tears on Jason’s cheeks. “Honestly Jay, it’s fine.”</p><p>“I just- is this really it? Is this our lives now?”</p><p>Tim crouched down beside Dick, leaning forwards with an almost scary level of intensity. “Look, I didn’t want to say anything earlier because, well, I wasn’t exactly sure I was right and-” he swallowed heavily, “and well, I didn’t think you’d believe me. But Bruce isn’t dead.”</p><p>“Tim,” Dick started. “I know you miss him-”</p><p>“No, Dick just- shut up for a moment. Bruce <i>isn’t</i> dead, he’s just lost in time.”</p><p>Dick’s heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t true, it couldn’t be true. Bruce was dead. Dick had <i>grieved</i>.</p><p>“They’re trying to save him now, as we speak. We just- just have to be patient.”</p><p>Dick caught Jason’s wide eyed gaze. If Bruce was really alive, if he was coming back, it could all be over. He could- He saw the realisation hit Jason at exactly the same moment. Even if Bruce did come back, Slade still legally owned them. They all had his bite on their throats. Bruce would have to challenge him. He’d have to beat him in hand-to-hand combat.</p><p>And even if Bruce did beat him, it wouldn’t stop Jason from being pregnant, it wouldn’t change what had happened. Dick didn’t know how he’d ever be able to look Bruce in the eye after he’d failed everyone so badly.</p><p>Tim was smiling though, the first genuine smile that Dick had seen in months. Dick reached out and slung an arm over his shoulders, pulling him into a sideways hug. “Come on, we should probably fill Damian and Alfred in before this <i>dinner</i>.”</p><p>*</p><p>The dinner was a melancholy affair. Everyone but Slade was silent and sullen, picking at their food. Slade didn’t seem to care though, eating his meal with gusto. Dick hoped he choked on it.</p><p>The doorbell rang. When Slade had first claimed them, they’d been hounded by journalists, hoping to get some juicy scoop but Slade had managed to scare them off fairly quickly. They hadn’t had someone ring the bell for weeks.</p><p>“Whoever it is, send them away,” Slade snarled as Alfred hurried for the intercom. “And for God’s sake, will you lot cheer up a bit, we’re supposed to be celebrating, remember?”</p><p>As if this baby was something to celebrate, as if it wasn’t just something else Slade could use against them. Dick put his fork down gently. What little appetite he’d had was well and truly gone.</p><p>“Master Slade,” Alfred said, stepping back into the dining room. “You have a visitor.”</p><p>“I thought I told you to get rid of them.”</p><p>“Ah well-” Alfred started, before trailing off as a familiar figure stepped through the doorway. Dick’s chest clenched painfully, his breath stuttering, because it was <i>Bruce</i>.  He was alive.</p><p>Slade leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. “I thought you were supposed to be dead.”</p><p>“It would appear reports of my death were...a little hasty,” Bruce said, sweeping his gaze over everyone in the room. Dick’s eyes felt hot, his throat tight. He couldn’t believe Bruce was really here.</p><p>“So, you’ve come to challenge my claim?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>Slade hummed, his eye narrowing. “Now's not really a good time.”</p><p>“Am I interrupting?”</p><p>Slade smiled, sharp and nasty. “Yes actually you are, see we’re celebrating.” He leaned over to take Jason’s hand, lifting it to his mouth. “We’re expecting.”</p><p>Jason choked, his eyes widening as he looked up at Bruce. “No- I- we’re-”</p><p>Bruce’s jaw clenched, fury rolling off of him in waves. He shrugged his jacket off stiffly, muscles bunched. “Get up Wilson.”</p><p>Slade rolled to his feet gracefully. “Very well. Let’s make some room hmm?”</p><p>They all scrambled out of the way as Slade grabbed the edge of the table and flipped it, sending it crashing onto its side. It had the desired effect of clearing some space. Bruce didn’t flinch. They circled each other for a moment, sizing each other up.</p><p>“Kneel,” Slade hissed, turning his gaze briefly on Dick and the others. Bruce’s face twitched, his mouth twisting unhappily as they all sank to the floor. “Stay Down.”</p><p>Jason let out a furious snarl. Dick couldn’t help the answering growl that rumbled from his chest. He felt useless, trapped in place by the Alpha Command. Pathetic.</p><p>“Let’s get this over with,” Slade said. Bruce brought his hands up in a defensive stance, just as Slade lunged for him.</p><p>It was awful to watch. Slade and Bruce were more evenly matched, more suited to heavy hits and hand-to-hand than Dick had been, but even still, Slade clearly had the advantage. Without armour or weapons, Bruce was just a man. A highly skilled, well trained man, but with Slade’s enhancements, it seemed impossible that Bruce would win. Eventually, Slade got Bruce on his knees, a hand fisted in his hair. They were both panting, covered in blood, as Slade leered down at him.</p><p>“We both know I’m going to win,” Slade hissed. Bruce kicked out at his legs, but from his position he couldn’t really get the right leverage to take Slade off his feet. “Your little alpha wouldn’t yield either.” Bruce looked up, his gaze catching Dick’s. His eyes were bright with pain, his face bloody, and God, was this how the others had felt watching Slade and Dick fight?</p><p>“Don’t worry,” Slade purred, leaning down and tugging Bruce’s head back to reveal his throat. “I fucked him into submission.”</p><p>Bruce’s eyes widened. Dick dropped his gaze, cheeks heating in embarrassment. Of course Slade would bring it up, just like he’d immediately brought up Jason’s pregnancy. He just had to inflict the most pain possible.</p><p>“You won’t ever touch my children again,” Bruce growled, low and deadly. Dick shuddered.</p><p>“And how are you going to stop me?” Slade said with a laugh, slamming a foot into Bruce’s chest and knocking him down onto his back. “You’ll be too busy being dead. For real this time.”</p><p>Dick couldn’t watch. It felt like his heart was going to beat right out of his chest. Slade was going to kill him. He’d only just found out Bruce was alive, and Slade was going to-</p><p>The bang was deafening. Blood sprayed across the floor, and Slade was falling, hitting the ground with a soft thump. Everything seemed to slow down, as though this moment was suspended in time, as Dick stared at the ruined mess of Slade’s face.</p><p>“Alfred,” Bruce said, something unreadable in his voice, and Dick looked up to see Alfred lower the shotgun, face hard.</p><p>He’d shot him. He’d shot Slade. Dick couldn’t help the soft keen that escaped him. Slade had survived a shot to the face before, the scarred mass of his eye was proof of that, but this… There was no way anyone could survive that. He was dead. The bright, burst of pain in Dick’s chest, the cresting waves of nausea, he was dead.</p><p>“Father,” Damian said, stumbling to his feet and throwing himself at Bruce. It was a rare display of affection, something Damian would never have dreamed of before all of this. Before Slade.</p><p>Bruce caught him, rising to his feet with Damian crushed against his chest. He rubbed his jaw across the top of Damian’s head, scenting him.</p><p>Tim and Jason were still on their knees beside Dick. They were both staring at Slade with the same mix of horror and relief on their faces. Dick couldn’t seem to move, couldn’t get his legs to cooperate, the pain in his chest radiated outwards like poison. His throat burned where Slade had bitten him.</p><p>Bruce knelt in front of them, carrying himself stiffly, Damian tucked under one arm like a chick under a wing. Dick drank in the sight of him greedily. His dad was back from the dead.</p><p>“Bruce,” Tim gasped. “Why does it hurt?” One hand gripped the fabric of his shirt over his chest, the other scratched desperately at his throat. Bruce reached out to cup his face gently.</p><p>“It’s the bite,” he said, mouth pinching. He tilted Tim’s head to the side to get a better look at the mark. “I can-” he hesitated, looking a little ill. “I can bite you, if you want. It will stop the pain.”</p><p>The pain. Because their alpha was dead. It made something hard and bitter rise up in Dick’s throat, to think of Slade as <i>their</i> alpha, but as far as their hormones were concerned, he’d claimed them. And now he was dead and he was still managing to hurt them.</p><p>It would pass, eventually. It wouldn’t hurt forever. If they didn’t want Bruce to bite them, to <i>claim</i> them, then they didn’t have to. If Bruce claimed them then he’d be able to control them in the same way Slade had. But at the same time, Dick trusted Bruce, trusted that he wouldn’t use it against them, and the thought of forever being Slade’s, of having his claim forever fester in the dark recesses of Dick’s chest, made him feel sick. He wanted, desperately, to smell like <i>Bruce</i> again.</p><p>“Okay,” Tim said after a tense moment of silence. Bruce turned his heavy gaze on Dick and Jason.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Jason said. His hands trembled slightly, though from the pain or the idea of Bruce biting him, Dick wasn’t sure.</p><p>“That’s okay,” Bruce said. His voice was achingly gentle. Dick hated it. “You don’t have to decide right now.”</p><p>Alfred stepped forwards. “Master Bruce, we should really tend to your injuries.”</p><p>Bruce sighed heavily, but he let Alfred help him stand and lead him out into the hallway, Damian still clinging to him. Dick swallowed heavily against the nauseating mix of pain and relief and, even deeper down an odd sort of hollowness.</p><p>Staring at the corpse of the man who’d tormented his pack for months, who’d raped him over and over, who’d forced himself on his brother and gotten him pregnant, he felt a strange sense of detachment. It didn’t seem right that this was the same man. A lump of meat on their dining room floor.</p><p>A hand grabbed his. He looked up, startled. Jason had reached across the gap to hold his hand. He wasn’t looking at Dick, his own wide eyes fixed on Slade. Dick squeezed his fingers, a lump rising in his throat. The hot sting of tears burnt his eyes.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Warnings for character death (Slade)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for all your comments :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It certainly hadn’t been the welcome home Bruce was expecting. When he’d been lost in time, he’d thought of his pack constantly, it’s what had kept him going. And the mission of course, but he’d known that Dick would take care of it. Batman would always be there to protect Gotham. But Bruce hadn’t been there to protect his pack.</p><p>He’d been horrified to learn that <i>Slade Wilson</i> had claimed his pack. Getting to the manor and finding out what else he’d done was even worse. He could still see the sick smile on Slade’s face as he’d told Bruce they were <i>expecting</i>, the panic on Jason’s, the <i>shame</i> on Dick’s.</p><p>Bruce swallowed heavily against the nausea, curling his hands into fists. He had to keep it together. They’d congregated in one of the living rooms, one with a thick carpet, because if Bruce was going to bite them, he was going to make sure it was as painless as possible.</p><p>“How do we do this?” Tim said. His jaw was set, back straight, but Bruce could tell he was putting on a brave face. Bruce knew how to do a proper claiming bite. There’d been a book on it in his father’s study. Bruce had read it mostly out of curiosity, partly so he’d be able to recognise when someone was trying to force a claim. He’d never expected to have to use it.</p><p>Bruce had worked hard on forming his bonds, he’d built his pack from the ground up. This - claiming someone - it was a gross abuse of power. He would never have even considered it if it wasn’t for Slade.</p><p>“I’m not going to force you into anything,” Bruce said. It felt like a lie, even though it wasn’t. Bruce may not be forcing them, but they didn’t have much of a choice, either Bruce bit them or Slade’s claim would remain.</p><p>Tim nodded. “Do I- do I have to submit?”</p><p>“Well, yes,” Bruce hesitated. Tim’s eyes were wide, his hands trembling, but he lowered himself to his knees and bowed over, pressing his chest to the ground.</p><p>“No! God, no not like that,” Bruce grabbed his shoulder, tugging him back up onto his knees. Tim frowned, confused, and Bruce realised his mistake immediately.</p><p>“Sorry Tim, I didn’t mean-” he took a deep breath. “If you submit willingly, you just have to…” He trailed off, getting to his own knees in front of Tim and reaching out to tilt his head back and to the side, exposing his throat. Slade’s bite was a red splash on Tim’s pale neck.</p><p>“I’m going to do it as quickly as I can,” Bruce said. “Are you ready?”</p><p>Tim nodded jerkily. Bruce tightened his grip, holding Tim’s head still, and leant forwards to sink his teeth into his scent gland, right over the raised bite scar. Blood spilled into Bruce’s mouth, thick and metallic, as the claim unfurled in his chest. Tim gasped, going limp, and Bruce pulled back in time to catch him, lowering him gently onto the carpet.</p><p>“Is he okay?” Dick asked.</p><p>“He should be,” Bruce said. He tucked one arm under Tim’s shoulders, the other under his knees, and lifted him, stomach clenching as Tim’s head lolled against his chest. He laid him onto the sofa as Alfred crouched beside him, first aid kit in hand.</p><p>“Okay,” Dick said, sounding a little choked. “Okay, you can bite me.”</p><p>Bruce looked up, surprised. “Are you sure?”</p><p>Dick looked a little ill, but he got to his knees stiffly.  Beside him Jason crossed his arms over his chest, shifting his weight uneasily as Bruce shuffled over to Dick on his knees. He didn’t want to be looming over him.</p><p>Dick made a strangled noise as Bruce tilted his head to show the ragged, ugly bite mark.</p><p>“Alright?” Bruce asked. Dick reached out and gripped onto his shirt, pulling it taut across Bruce’s back.</p><p>“Yeah. Yes, just do it.”</p><p>Bruce tightened his grip and leant forwards. His teeth had just grazed skin when Dick jerked back with a cry, shoving Bruce away with the hand on his chest. Bruce went easily, letting go of Dick and holding his hands up.</p><p>“It’s okay, Dick.” Bruce’s stomach churned as his son hunched over, clutching at his throat.</p><p>“I’m sorry B, I just-”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Bruce said again. “Your last bite was traumatic.”</p><p>“Traumatic,” Jason snorted. “Yeah <i>that’s</i> how I’d describe being raped in front of your whole family.”</p><p>“<i>Jason</i>!” Dick snapped.</p><p>Bruce’s chest felt uncomfortably tight. He hadn’t realised. He hadn’t known that Dick had been violated in front of his brothers. And Jason was <i>angry</i>. His scent was thick with it, body almost vibrating with tension.</p><p>“This is bullshit,” Jason said. “What, Bruce bites us and that’s it? Magically all better? We just forget about Slade?”</p><p>“No, of course-”</p><p>“We’re all just one big happy pack again with dear old dad leading the way?”</p><p>“Jay-”</p><p>“Fuck this,” Jason hissed, pushing his way out of the room. Bruce went to stand, to follow him, to make sure he was okay, but Dick’s hand on his arm stopped him.</p><p>“Wait Bruce, I-” he swallowed heavily. “I want to do this.”</p><p>Bruce hesitated. It didn’t feel right to do this now, when emotions were so high. He’d been stupid to do it so soon after Slade had died. He should have talked to them first, should have found out how to make it as comfortable as possible. But Bruce had been selfish. He’d wanted, desperately, for Slade’s claim to die with him. So he’d rushed it. He’d inadvertently reenacted a traumatic experience by trying to bite Dick in front of the others.</p><p>“I’m sorry Dick,” he said, even though it wasn’t nearly enough, it would never be enough.</p><p>Dick’s jaw tightened, an almost desperate look on his face. “Bruce, <i>please</i>.”</p><p>Bruce reached out to cup his cheek, to reassure him, but Dick ducked underneath his arm, tipping forwards. Bruce caught him as he fell against his chest, struggling to keep his balance as Dick squirmed in his arms. Then Dick tilted his head up to rub it against the underside of Bruce’s jaw.</p><p>Bruce froze, his breath catching in his throat. It was such a childlike show of affection, scenting the way a pup did with their parents. Bruce had rarely done it with any of his children. When Dick had first come to the manor, he’d been grieving the loss of his family, desperate to keep the scent of his parents for as long as he could. Bruce had never offered to do it with Dick or Jason, not wanting to pressure them, or to make them think he was trying to replace anyone. Dick had only asked him to do it once or twice, when he’d been injured. Jason had never asked. Tim had been too old really, when he’d been taken in. And Bruce got the impression that he hadn’t done it much with his own parents either.</p><p>He’d done it a few times with Damian. He’d been basically a stranger at first, and later he’d seemed too mature for such childish affection, but Bruce had still tried, had offered this time, because looking back he should have offered it from the start. He knew that Dick did it too, with Damian, knew that Damian liked it, even if he pretended not to.</p><p>Bruce’s arms came up automatically to press Dick in against him, tucking his chin down to press his nose into Dick’s hair and breathe in his scent, still uniquely Dick even with Slade’s iron and heat.</p><p>“It’s alright chum,” Bruce said, even though it wasn’t. “I’ve got you.”</p><p>Dick shuddered. Bruce’s shirt felt damp where his face was pressed against him. Then Dick pulled back, wiping his cheeks.</p><p>“Okay, let’s do this,” Dick said, straightening up with a look of determination. He tilted his head, baring his throat, and squeezed his eyes shut. Bruce reached out to hold his face gently, stroking a thumb across his cheek. He just had to do this quickly.</p><p>Dick cried out as his teeth broke skin, tensing up briefly before going completely limp. Bruce caught him, just like he’d caught Tim, and lowered him to the floor. Dick’s face was slack, his head lolling to the side and Bruce’s chest clenched at the wet crimson smear on his throat. The copper tang of blood in his mouth made him feel sick.</p><p>Alfred crouched beside him, turning Dick’s head in careful hands to press a patch of gauze over the wound. Bruce reached over to tug Dick’s legs straight, trying to make sure he was comfortable. Then he stood stiffly, wiping at his mouth with a trembling hand.</p><p>“Master Bruce?”</p><p>“I should go find Jason,” Bruce said. He didn’t like the idea of leaving Tim and Dick whilst they were so vulnerable, but he needed to make sure Jason was okay, and besides, Alfred would take care of them.</p><p>Jason’s scent was easy to follow. Anger and distress led him through the manor like a toxic trail, until he ended up outside his own room. He knocked, and then pushed the door open slowly. Jason was sitting on the edge of the bed, hunched over with his elbows on his knees. He didn’t look up when Bruce stepped inside.</p><p>“Jason,” Bruce started, but then trailed off. He didn’t know what to say.</p><p>“Go away Bruce.”</p><p>Bruce sighed, hesitating for a moment, before he went to perch on the bed next to Jason. “I’m sorry Jay.” He wasn’t sure exactly what he was apologising for, but he felt like it needed to be said. Jason’s head snapped up, levelling a heated glare at Bruce.</p><p>“I wish everyone would stop fucking apologising to me!”</p><p>“I’m-” Bruce stopped himself just in time. “I know you’re upset-”</p><p>“Upset?!” Jason said with a strangled laugh. “You just don’t get it Bruce, you couldn’t possibly understand.”</p><p>“So why don’t you explain it to me?”</p><p>Jason was silent for a long moment, fiddling with the sheets. “You know, I had my heat in here.” Bruce’s chest clenched. Here? In his room? Slade had raped his son on <i>Bruce’s</i> bed. God, he’d never be able to sleep in here again.</p><p>Jason looked down at his hands. “There was this moment, when I woke up and Slade was… he was on top of Dick.” A heavy swallow. “Dick had passed out. There was so much blood, I honestly thought that he’d killed him. And I still- still begged Slade to fuck me.”</p><p>The horror in Bruce’s chest was suffocating. God, his boys. Bruce was no stranger to suffering, he’d seen the worst of humanity on Gotham’s streets, but this was different. This was his <i>sons</i>, and Bruce’s heart ached for what they’d been through.</p><p>“You were in heat Jay,” Bruce said, voice strangled. “It wasn’t your fault.”</p><p>“I don’t ever want to feel that out of control again.”</p><p>“Is that why you don’t want me to bite you?” Bruce’s stomach churned. “I would never take advantage of you.”</p><p>Jason’s mouth twisted unhappily. He didn’t look up. “So you’d never use Alpha Command to stop me from killing someone?”</p><p>Bruce stared at him, mind racing. Would he? He’d never thought about it before. He’d like to think that the answer was no, of course not, he’d never abuse his position like that. But he couldn’t bring himself to actually say it, because he just wasn’t sure.</p><p>Jason’s lips twitched into a wry smile. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”</p><p>“You’re still a member of this pack Jason, whether I bite you or not.” Bruce reached out and gently laid a hand on Jason’s shoulder. Then, on a whim, he pulled Jason closer, leaning over to rub his jaw over the top of his head.</p><p>Jason gasped softly, body going rigid under his hand, before he seemed to collapse against him, folding his bulk into Bruce’s chest.</p><p>“I don’t know what to do,” he whispered, so quietly that Bruce almost didn’t hear it.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Jason pressed his fist into his stomach, hard enough that it had to hurt, trembling against him. Bruce crushed him tighter in his arms. God, the baby. He’d almost forgotten all about it. It didn’t seem real, it wasn’t right, that his son, his Jason, should be <i>pregnant</i>.</p><p>“Whatever you decide, I’ll support you,” Bruce said, and he <i>meant</i> it. If Jason wanted to keep his pup, if he wanted to give it up, if he wanted to- to- abort it. Then Bruce would be behind him 100% because ultimately, it was Jason’s decision.</p><p>“I don’t <i>know</i> what I want,” Jason said, one hand coming up to fist into Bruce’s shirt.</p><p>Bruce cradled his son against his chest, his own eyes hot with tears. God, Jason was still so young. It wasn’t fair that he had to deal with this.</p><p>“You still have time to decide.”</p><p>Jason shuddered, pulling away from Bruce and turning his head. “I never wanted kids. When I was little I- I was always scared I’d turn out like my parents.”</p><p>Bruce’s breath caught in his throat. He’d always known that Jason’s childhood was a pretty terrible one, but Jason had never really opened up about it. Bruce had always felt like he should have done more, should have made Jason feel more comfortable talking to him, should have made him feel safe enough to work through his past.</p><p>“When I came here and became Robin I thought, maybe I could one day, you know? Dying really put a spanner in the works,” Jason shook his head, a grim smile on his face. “And even after I...came back, I never imagined I would-” He hunched over, a hand coming up to cover his eyes.</p><p>“Jason,” Bruce said. “You wouldn’t be alone. I’d help you.”</p><p>Jason laughed, bitter. “Yeah, because look how well all <i>your</i> kids turned out.”</p><p>Okay, that one hurt. Bruce knew that he could have done better, could have <i>been</i> better, but he liked to think that his kids had grown into men Bruce could be proud of. Whether that was because of him or in spite of him, he wasn’t sure.</p><p>“It’s up to you Jay, but for what it’s worth, I think you’d make a great Dad.”</p><p>Jason made an odd, strangled noise, bringing his arms down to wrap around his stomach and turning away from Bruce. They sat in silence for a while, Bruce desperately wanted to reach out to his son, but he clearly didn’t want any more comfort. Eventually Bruce sighed heavily.</p><p>“I’m going to go check on Dick and Tim.”</p><p>He stood up reluctantly, turning to leave with a hesitant glance back at the bed. Jason was staring forlornly at the sheets, his hands curled into fists. He looked...surprisingly small against Bruce’s huge bed. Bruce swallowed against the lump in his throat.</p><p>“Wait, B.”</p><p>Bruce froze, one hand on the door. “Yeah Jay.”</p><p>Jason’s face scrunched up, his mouth pressing into a thin line. “I’ll come with you.”</p><p>Bruce was both surprised, and not. He’d thought that maybe Jason would want more time to himself, but at the same time he knew he was worried about the others. And Jason wouldn’t trust that they were okay until he saw them for himself.</p><p>By the time they made it back to the living room where he’d left the others, Tim had come back around and he was sitting on the sofa, one hand on his forehead, the other clutched over his throat.</p><p>“Hey,” Bruce said, as he stepped inside. “You okay Tim?”</p><p>Tim looked up at him, face pinched. “Yeah, Bruce I’m fine.” His gaze fell to Dick where he was still laid out on the ground, neck taped with gauze, his mouth turning down unhappily.</p><p>“He’ll be fine, Master Tim,” Alfred said, swooping in to press a hot cup of tea into Tim’s hands. Jason slipped into the room, wide eyes fixed on Dick. He knelt down next to his head, pushing the hair away from his forehead gently. It made something twist in Bruce’s chest. How long had it been since he’d seen his sons be so affectionate with each other. It would have been heartwarming if Bruce didn’t know exactly what the cause of it was. Dick blinked, one arm coming up to grip weakly onto Jason’s shirt.</p><p>“Hey Dickie,” Jason said softly. “You doing okay?”</p><p>Dick’s forehead creased, turning his face into Jason’s hand. “Jay?”</p><p>“Yeah it’s me.”</p><p>Bruce could see the awareness coming back, slowly, as Dick pushed himself up onto his elbows, looking around the room with a frown. His gaze fell on Bruce, and his face smoothed out in surprise, and then relief.</p><p>“Hey B,” he said with a grin. Bruce couldn’t help but smile back.</p><p>Alfred bustled over with two more cups of tea, pressing them gently into Dick and Jason’s hands. Jason blinked at it, looking mildly surprised. Dick buried a smile behind the rim of his own cup.</p><p>“Master Bruce,” Alfred said. “A word?”</p><p>Bruce followed him out into the hallway, chest tight. “What is it Alfred?”</p><p>“How is Master Jason?”</p><p>“I don’t know Alfred. I don’t know how to help him,” Bruce admitted. He couldn’t help but remember how small Jason had seemed, hunched in on himself on the bed.</p><p>Alfred frowned, but he reached over to lay a careful hand on Bruce’s arm. “You aren’t alone Master Bruce, and neither is Jason.”</p><p>“Thank you Alfred. For everything.”</p><p>“Yes well, it is my job to look after you all.”</p><p>Bruce caught Alfred’s hand, meeting the butler’s surprised gaze. “Alfred, the reason I didn’t offer to bite you,” he hesitated. “It’s not because you aren’t a member of this pack. I hope you know that.”</p><p>Alfred smiled tremulously. Bruce was surprised to see the glint of tears in his eyes. “I never doubted it.” He patted Bruce’s hand where it still held his. “It’s good to have you back, my boy.”</p><p>They stood in companionable silence for a moment. Bruce didn’t want to let go, didn’t want to lose this warm feeling in his chest. All too soon Alfred pulled back with a sigh, a troubled look passing over his face.</p><p>“I should go dispose of the…the body.”</p><p>Slade’s body. Bruce had forgotten all about it. “Oh, yes of course.”</p><p>Alfred’s face hardened then. “I’m not sorry I killed him.”</p><p>Bruce blinked at him. It made sense that Alfred would be worried about that. How many times had Bruce preached about not killing. But this was different. This was his pack. This was Alfred making sure that Slade could never hurt them again.</p><p>“Neither am I,” Bruce said eventually. Alfred’s brows raised, but he nodded sharply, giving Bruce’s arm one last pat before he left him there in the hallway. Bruce leaned back against the wall for a moment, tipping his head back with a sigh. God, this whole thing was such a mess.</p><p>The door creaked open quietly, Dick poking his head round the corner. “Hey B.”</p><p>“Dick, you shouldn’t be walking around right now,” Bruce hurried forwards to catch Dick by the arm, lifting it up over his shoulder.</p><p>Dick laughed. “You sound just like Jason, honestly I’m fine.”</p><p>“What are you doing out here?”</p><p>Dick was silent for a long moment. Bruce could feel the steady thump of his pulse where he was pressed against him. “I wanted to talk to you.”</p><p>“And it couldn’t wait?” God, Bruce wasn’t good at this. He didn’t know what to say. Usually, he tended to avoid emotional talks. He wasn’t good at expressing himself - he always seemed to mess it up.</p><p>“Bruce,” Dick said, suddenly serious. Bruce pushed open the closest door, leading them into one of the studies. He lowered Dick down into one of the armchairs, pulling another one close to sit beside him.</p><p>Dick smiled again, but it didn’t look very happy this time. He wasn’t looking at Bruce, rather at his hands, just like Jason had been.</p><p>“I just,” he swallowed heavily, grimaced. “I needed to say sorry. I know it doesn’t make up for everything but I needed to say it anyway so, yeah. Sorry.”</p><p>Bruce frowned, confused. This wasn’t where he’d been expecting this conversation to go. What could Dick possibly have to apologise for?</p><p>“Dick,” he reached over to lay a hand over where Dick was twisting his fingers together nervously. “You’ve lost me.”</p><p>Dick’s eyes narrowed, his lip peeling back in frustration. “I know I let everyone down okay? I couldn’t- couldn’t protect them. I couldn’t even stop Slade from-” he choked, shaking Bruce’s hand off so he could press a fist into his eye. “I couldn’t stop him from raping Jason.”</p><p>Bruce’s stomach lurched, nausea rising like a tide. “Dick, God, none of this was your fault.” How could he think that?</p><p>“You weren’t here Bruce. I just sat back and let him-” he grimaced, face pained.</p><p>“Slade bit you. You didn’t have a choice.” His chest ached. God, his boys were so similar. Both blaming themselves for something that was out of their control.</p><p>“Yeah,” Dick gave a bitter laugh. The sound resonated through Bruce’s chest like a punch. “I let him bite me. I was <i>weak</i> Bruce. I let him pin me down and- and <i>rape</i> me in front of everyone. I should have stopped him.”</p><p>Bruce took a deep breath. He had to pick his next words carefully. He didn’t want to say the wrong thing and make everything worse. “Dick, chum, you didn’t <i>let</i> him do anything, okay? You did everything you could to protect the pack. And besides, in case you forgot I didn’t exactly beat him either. If it hadn’t been for Alfred…” he broke off. It didn’t bear thinking about. He hesitated for a moment. “I’m proud of you son.”</p><p>Dick whimpered, leaning over until his forehead was pressed to his knees. Bruce reached over hesitantly, to lay a careful hand on his back, relieved when he didn’t flinch or pull away. He was trembling, soft keening noises escaping him. He was crying, Bruce realised suddenly, quiet gasping sobs. The lump in Bruce’s throat almost choked him.</p><p>“Dick,” he said helplessly. He got to his knees in front of his son, tugging him up gently so he could pull him in against his shoulder. Dick clung to him immediately, just like Damian had.</p><p>“I’m sorry Bruce.”</p><p>“You have nothing to apologise for.” Bruce held him until eventually he stopped crying, going limp against Bruce’s shoulder, like he’d used up all of his energy.</p><p>There was a knock at the door and Dick pulled away, scrubbing at his face, cheeks red with embarrassment. Jason pushed the door open, his face pinching at the sight of Bruce on his knees in front of Dick.</p><p>“Sorry,” he said, voice gruff. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”</p><p>“No,” Bruce said, getting to his feet stiffly. “It’s fine. Is everything okay?”</p><p>Jason ignored him, focussing in on Dick instead. “You alright?”</p><p>Dick stood as well. His eyes were red, cheeks sticky, but he pasted on a half convincing smile. “Yeah Jay, everything’s peachy.”</p><p>Jason stared at him for a moment, before looking down at his feet awkwardly, rubbing at the back of his neck. “It’s been a long day. I think Timbo is falling asleep in there.”</p><p>Dick smiled, expression softening. “We’d best get him to bed then hm. I’ll grab Dami and meet you up there.”</p><p>Bruce was sure that he was missing something. Still, he didn’t dare say anything as Dick walked over to Jason, knocking him gently with his shoulder. Bruce sank back into the armchair as they left, rubbing at his temples. Today had been one hell of a mess, but he was here, back at the manor, with his pack. When he’d been lost in time, there’d been moments where he’d honestly thought that he’d never see them again.</p><p>“Master Bruce.”</p><p>Bruce startled. He hadn’t even heard Alfred come in. The butler looked as presentable as ever, no signs that he’d been disposing of a corpse.</p><p>“Alfred, did you-”</p><p>“It’s all sorted,” Alfred said with a grimace. “The young Masters have retired to bed. I believe perhaps it’s time you also got some sleep.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, I think that’s a good idea.” Bruce felt exhausted, the weight of the day heavy on his shoulders. Still- “I’d best just check on them one last time.”</p><p>Alfred sighed, but he was smiling. “Very well sir. I believe they’re in Master Jason’s old room.”</p><p>All of them? Bruce pushed himself to his feet and followed Alfred out into the hallway and up the stairs. The smell of Pack and home was stronger now, the iron and heat smell of Slade fading already. Bruce pushed Jason’s door open as quietly as he could, peeking round into the dark of the room.</p><p>There was a bundle of blankets on the bed, heaped into a makeshift nest which the boys were curled up in. Four pairs of eyes blinked up at Bruce, the scent of fear thick in the room for a moment before they registered who it was.</p><p>“Sorry,” Bruce said quietly.</p><p>“It’s okay B,” Dick said, sitting up. Damian was tucked into his chest, looking disgruntled as he got shifted about.</p><p>“I just wanted to-“ he trailed off. He’d just wanted to what? Check on them? Make sure they were alright? They wouldn’t appreciate the sentiment.</p><p>“Do you-“ Dick cut himself off by biting down on his lip, glancing hesitantly over at Jason. “Do you want to join us?”</p><p>Jason scowled, levelling a heated glare at Dick. “I’m not sure-” Bruce started. He didn’t want to do anything that was going to make them uncomfortable.</p><p>“Come on Bruce, just get in,” Dick said, adjusting the blankets so there was a small gap beside him. Bruce hesitated for a moment, and then gave in with a sigh, shutting the door and climbing up into the nest carefully.</p><p>The bed was too small to fit all of them comfortably, but after a bit of shuffling Bruce ended up curled next to Dick, feeling too big and awkward. Damian ended up mostly on top of Dick, his face grumpy, hands fisted into Dick’s shirt. Bruce reached over to push the hair back from his forehead and Damian blinked back at him, eyes widening in surprise.</p><p>Dick squeezed his arms tighter around the pup, tilting his head to press his face into Bruce’s shoulder. “Go to sleep B,” he said quietly. Bruce hummed, letting his hand settle onto Damian’s back, feeling the rise and fall of his breathing.</p><p>Bruce wasn’t sure how long he laid there in the dark, listening to the soft sounds of sleep. He propped himself up onto his elbow so he could see Tim and Jason where they were lying on the other side of Dick. In the dark it was hard to make out their faces, but he could see the faint outline of them. It made something settle, deep in his chest, to be able to see all of his kids, safe.</p><p>There was still a long way to go, but Bruce was hopeful. They’d get through this. Together.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have a tumblr at <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nightwang96">nightwang96</a> if you want to check it out!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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